


Love Lies Bleeding

by pebbles403



Series: Unfaithfully [2]
Category: Fall Out Boy
Genre: F/M, Protective Pete Wentz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-08
Updated: 2016-08-08
Packaged: 2018-08-07 08:51:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7708690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pebbles403/pseuds/pebbles403
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With his marriage ending, will Patrick have Lacie to turn to?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love Lies Bleeding

Memories are just where you laid them... 

 

It had been a month since Elisa had presented Patrick with the divorce papers. Which meant it had been almost two months since she found out about Lacie. Patrick hadn't even called her once. He knew he was a coward, but he wanted to protect her. He just knew that she'd blame herself for everything that had happened. When his phone began to ring, he almost didn't answer it. Not even looking at the screen, he answered, "Hello?" 

"Dude what the fuck?! I've been trying to reach you for a goddamn week!" 

Patrick flinched as Pete yelled in his ear, "Man, I haven't felt like talking to anyone lately." 

"Pretty goddamn obvious if you ask me. I called to tell you that there was this girl that stopped me on the street and ask about you." 

"What girl? Are the fans asking questions again?" 

"Not that I can tell. They have their theories, but nothing solid. Anyways this girl said her name was Lacie I think." 

Patrick's chest ached hearing Lacie's name again. She didn't deserve this shit he was putting her through. He should've called her already. 

"That's the one Pete." 

"The girl that you pretty much gave up your marriage for? Was she worth it Patrick?" 

"You know Pete, I believe that she was. I've never been so open with someone before. Not even Elisa." 

"So why have you been ignoring her? She looked like hell Patrick." 

"She has two kids Pete. That probably has something to do with it." 

"Bullshit man. You didn't see her. She looked wrecked honestly. I have two kids too, so you can't make yourself feel better by lying to yourself and using her kids as an excuse. She looked like she had been crying man." 

"I can't bring myself to call her Pete. I told her I loved her and then ignored her these last two months." 

"If you really love her, call her." 

"She probably won't even answer Pete." 

"Give her the benefit of the doubt." 

"Pete, Why aren't you tearing me a new asshole right now?" 

"Dude, I don't condone any of this, but you are my best friend and you need someone in your corner right now. Besides the press is having a field day right now with the announcement of your impending divorce. They snapped some pics the other day when Lacie stopped me in the street. They seemed to get the idea that she was running through all of us." 

"Oh, God. They think she's just some gold-digging whore don't they?" 

"Yeah they do. She fucking left as soon as she gave me the message to have you call her." 

"Goddamn it! Why can't those fucking vultures give shit a rest? I'm gonna get off of here Pete. I've got some thinking to do." 

"You'd better call her dude." 

"I'll talk to you later man." 

"Bye bro. Call me if you need something." 

"Yeah." 

Patrick hung up the phone and stared at the screen. Why did he let this all happen? Was he really in love with Lacie? Or did he just want an out with Elisa? He never admitted this until now, but he knew he hadn't been truly in love with Elisa when they married. They shouldn't have even gotten married; he just thought that it was the right thing to do since everyone gushed over them all the time. They had been together for several years, and everyone kept asking when they were gonna tie the knot. They had looked so happy on the outside, but Patrick had never felt more alone. His mother had been the worst though. She kept asking over and over again when he was finally going to marry Elisa, and talking about how they were so perfect together. Patrick chalked it up to the entire world expecting too much from him again. Lacie hadn't put any kind of demands on him. She had been the only person who had ever let him just lead the flow of things. Lacie didn't deserve the press following her like bloodhounds. 

Patrick knew what he had to do. He picked up the packet of divorce papers and began to sign them one by one. He had already read them all except the custody agreement. His eyes widened at how beyond fair it was. He truly appreciated that she wasn't going to use Declan as a tool against him. She'd had the agreement drawn up so that they would have shared custody of their son. He smiled as he read it. The first actual smile he'd had in two months. He finished signing the papers and put them back in the yellow manilla envelope. He then picked up his phone and dialed Elisa's number. She picked up after two rings. 

"What do you want?" She questioned harshly. 

Patrick winced at her tone. "I called to let you know that I signed the papers. I'll drop them off at my lawyer's office tomorrow." 

"Thank you for not trying to drag this out Patrick. I just want to get this over with. We have to stay civil for Declan's sake." 

"Speaking of Declan, thank you for making sure we have shared custody Elisa." 

"He needs his father in his life. Even if said father is a cheater." 

Patrick looked at his feet, "I'm truly sorry about all of this Elisa. I never wanted any of this to happen." 

"I have a question for you Patrick. Why did you even ask me to marry you?" 

"Everyone wanted us to get married. Even my mom and your parents. You seemed so happy and I didn't want to let you and everyone else down." 

"When did you realize that you didn't love me?" 

"Elisa, I love you and I always have. I just didn't love you like you loved me; but to answer your question, I think it was just before Declan was born. That's why I started to become more disconnected. That's another reason we started fighting more and more." 

"So you were looking for an out?" 

"Kind of. I think subconsciously I've been completely on auto pilot for a few years. I'm such a coward though that I couldn't say anything to anyone." 

"Well, you'll have plenty of time to think about only yourself. I've got to go. Declan just woke up from his nap." 

Before Patrick could say anything more, his cell phone went dead. As he plugged it in, he kept thinking about Lacie. He knew that in the short time they had been seeing each other, he truly had fallen in love with her. He loved her eyes, he loved her smile. He loved the animated way she gushed about her kids. He loved the way her nose would wrinkle up when he would kiss it. He especially loved the way that he didn't have to pretend around her. She had no demands. She just wanted him. God he missed her. 

He turned his phone back on while it charged, and as soon as it powered up, he was assaulted by a string of text messages. Mostly from Pete, but the last one was from Lacie. 

Lace: Patrick. We need to talk. Meet me at the diner. 

That didn't sound good. 

Patrick showered and shaved before he got dressed. He didn't want to look like hell when he went to meet Lacie. He put on a pair of black jeans and a blue button down shirt, slid his socked feet into his boots and headed out the door of his room. As he made his way to the front door of the hotel, he saw the group of people waiting outside. He recognized paparazzi when he saw them. 

'Well it's now or never.' he thought as he stepped outside amidst the sea of reporters and cameras. He was immediately blinded by the flash of the cameras desperately trying to get a picture of him. 

"Mr. Stump! What do you have to say about the reports of your divorce?' one reporter asked quickly. 

Patrick sighed, "Elisa and I are in fact dissolving our marriage. So the rumors are true." 

"Is it because of the woman that was photographed with your band mate earlier in the week?" 

Patrick paled. They knew about Lacie. Pete hadn't just been talking out of his ass. 

"She and I are old friends. There's nothing else to it than that. Now if you all will excuse me, I have a few errands to run." 

He walked away quickly cutting up and down streets until he was sure that no one was following him and hailed a cab. Once inside he relaxed a bit and told the driver the address to the diner. 

Once there, he paid the driver and exited the cab. He saw Lacie through the window. He went in and sat across from her in the booth. 

"You look lost in your thoughts Lacie," he echoed the first words he said to her that first time in the diner. 

Lacie looked up and smiled tiredly at him, "I've got troubled thoughts." 

"I'm sorry I haven't called or texted you Lace. I've been trying to adjust to everything going on," he apologized. 

"I know 'Trick. That's why when I saw Pete the other day, I knew I had to ask about you." 

"I was gonna call you. I signed the divorce papers today. Elisa's going to share custody of Declan with me." 

Lacie smiled, "Well at least you'll get to be there for him as he grows up. But Patrick, I didn't ask you to meet me here for small talk." 

"I know. I was hoping that there wasn't anything really serious going on," he looked down at his hands. 

"Patrick, I got fired from my job. They found out about us. My landlord won't let me stay with no job to be able to pay rent. And worst of all my brother will have nothing to do with me." 

"Oh my God Lacie! This is all my fault!" 

"No Patrick, I was a willing participant in all of this. The only reason I'm even telling you this is because I wanted to let you know that I'm moving in with my cousin. I wanted to tell you that..." her eyes were filling with tears, "I wanted to tell you that I don't think we should see each other anymore. I can't let my kids get mixed up with all of this. The paparazzi haven't left me alone for one second since they saw me with Pete the other day. They seem to think that I'm just running through you guys like some kind of cheap whore." 

"Lacie, please don't leave me too. I can't take this. I'll do whatever I can with the paparazzi. Hell I'll even buy you and your kids a house so you don't have to leave." Patrick pleaded with her. 

"Please just remember what we had. I have to go. Know one thing though. I love you Patrick Stump," Lacie started to cry as she got up and ran out of the diner. 

Patrick jumped out of the booth to go after her, but she was already gone. 

He had been walking for at least an hour now. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't even notice the rain coming down in sheets on his head. He looked around to see where he was and noticed that he was down the street from Pete's house. He let his feet lead him up the street and up the driveway to his best friend's house. He rang the doorbell and stood awkwardly in the rain waiting for anyone to answer the door. His head snapped up when the door opened. He stared through his rain streaked glasses at his best friend. 

"Pete, she left. Her life has been ruined all because of me," he choked out. 

Pete pulled Patrick inside the house and into a bear hug. 

"Calm down Patrick," the older man tried to comfort his friend. 

"Pete.. I don't think I can live without her, but I can't ruin her life anymore," Patrick sobbed into Pete's shoulder. 

"Give her some time buddy. You better get out of those wet clothes. Don't want you to get pneumonia and die." 

"Maybe that would be best. If I weren't around I couldn't fuck everything up anymore." 

Pete pulled away from Patrick and made him look into his eyes, "I don't ever want to hear you say that again! Do you remember what you made me promise you all those years ago when I tried to kill myself?" 

"That if you felt the desire to attempt it again, you'd come talk to me instead." 

"Exactly. And now I'm making you give me the same promise. You're my best friend and this world would completely suck without you in it. So goddamn it Patrick, you're gonna promise to talk to me." 

"Ok Pete, I promise that I'll talk to you." 

Pete sighed, "Now you go into the bathroom and change your clothes. You've still got some spare ones here. I'll let Meagan know that you're going to be spending the night here tonight." 

"Pete, you don't have to do that. I'll just call a cab and get back to my hotel room." 

"Dude, you gotta get out of that place for a night. Just shut up and take the guest room." 

"Ok. Thanks Pete," Patrick winced as soon as the words left his lips, while Pete let out a loud laugh. 

"You're welcome Patrick." 

Pete went into the kitchen where his girlfriend was making dinner. 

"Hey baby, Patrick is gonna be spending the night in the guest room tonight." 

Meagan went stiff, "Pete, you know I'm still upset with him for his recent actions." 

"I know honey, but he's still my best friend and right now he needs me. You have to understand; he hasn't been truly happy in a long time. Even if he hadn't cheated on Elisa, I think that they would've divorced sooner or later." 

"I know, but it's not right." 

"I know baby, but please be nice. He's having a rough time with all of this." 

"You know Pete, you're a really great friend. I love you so much." 

"I love you too sweetness." 

 

Patrick walked into their kitchen awkwardly. 

"I'm sorry about barging in like this Meagan. I really just needed the support of my best friend." 

She turned to look at Patrick and her face fell. His eyes were bloodshot. He'd been crying. She moved across the room and enveloped him in a hug. She couldn't stay mad at Patrick. He looked like he was really suffering. 

"Don't worry about it Patrick. Everything happens for a reason. I'm not comfortable with what all has happened, but you're only human. Everyone makes mistakes. Yours has just so happened to end your marriage and upturn the tabloids." 

Patrick sniffled, "I know and I feel fucking terrible about all of this. I should've ended things with Elisa long ago. I'm such a fucking coward." 

Meagan rubbed circles on Patrick's back and said, "Patrick go lie down. I'll have Pete let you know when dinner is ready." 

Patrick mumbled a quiet 'thanks' as he turned and left the kitchen. He slowly ambled up the stairs to the second floor towards the guest bedroom. As he laid himself down on the bed, he opened the internet browser on his phone and scrolled through the gossip rags to see what all the press was speculating on his divorce. He read through two articles before he found it. The picture of Lacie talking to Pete with the headline, 

: New Mystery Girl Making The Rounds With All Of Fall Out Boy?: 

As he read the article, he couldn't help but get angry. They were implying that Lacie, his Lacie was only trying to get famous by sleeping with everyone in the band. One line in particular made him see red.: Just months after ruining Patrick Stump's marriage to Elisa Stump nee Yao, she sets her sights on the bassist of popular pop-punk band Fall Out Boy.: 

Patrick jumped out of the bed and ran down the stairs into the kitchen looking for Pete. Luckily he was still there. 

"Have you seen this shit Pete?" Patrick asked while angrily shoving his phone into Pete's face. Pete quickly read the article and looked at Patrick shocked and angry at the same time. 

"Dude, what the fuck are these blood suckers thinking?!" 

"I've gotta talk to her Pete. She won't answer my calls though." 

"How the hell are you gonna talk to her then?" 

"I'm not. You are." 

"No dude, I'm not being the middle man." 

"Pete, I have to know that she's ok." 

"How do you know she'll even answer the phone?" 

"I don't Pete, but we've gotta try." 

Patrick took Pete's phone and dialed Lacie's number and put it on speaker phone. They waited anxiously as the phone rang. 

"Hello?" 

"Lacie?" Pete questioned. 

"Who is this? Haven't you people had enough? I've told you to stop calling me!" 

"Lacie, Lacie, Lacie! Calm down! It's Pete. Patrick gave me your number. He didn't think that you'd answer his calls," Pete spoke rapidly. 

"Thank fucking God. I don't know how, but the press has gotten my number. They've harassed me for days now." 

"Lacie. Patrick wants to know if you're ok." 

"I'd be better if I had never called him to begin with." 

Patrick flinched at Lacie's words and tone. He couldn't really blame her though. He had ruined her life. She never wanted the infamy. 

Patrick spoke up, "Lace, I'm so sorry about all of this." 

"Pete! You have me on speakerphone?!" 

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to be messenger boy in the first place. Take the phone Patrick." Pete shoved the phone into Patrick's hands as he took it off speaker phone. 

Patrick sighed heavily, "Lacie, baby, I am so sorry about this." 

"It's just as much my fault as it is yours. I should've never called you. If I hadn't been stupid, your life and mine wouldn't be totally fucked right now." 

"Lacie, the start of this was me giving you my number. I'm sorry that I've ruined your life." 

"Patrick, things happen. We've both fucked up. We have to deal with what we have caused. So please, for my sake and for my children, don't call me again. It's better this way." 

Tears were forming in Patrick's eyes. He sighed again and swallowed the lump forming in his throat, "Lacie, please don't do this. I-I love you. Please let me help you through this. We can face it together." 

"I have my kids to think about Patrick. Their safety is my top priority. I've got to go Patrick. I love you, but please, don't call me anymore." 

Patrick stared at the phone through bleary eyes. He wanted to scream and hit things and cry all at the same time. He wanted Lacie to be ok. Most of all he wanted her to be with him. He crumbled to the floor of the kitchen. How had he managed to fuck everything up? He was so wrapped up in his grief that he hadn't noticed that Pete and Meagan had came back into the kitchen and wrapped him in a hug. All Patrick could do was cry. 

 

-Fin-

**Author's Note:**

> (A/N: as per usual, I do not own anything except Lacie and her children. Hope you enjoyed this new part of the series. I will post the next piece once I get it written. :) Please feel free to review or favorite this story/series. Thanks so much everyone!)


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